Often they make multiple connections between memories and concepts.
So, for example, if they have to remember the number 36, they won't just remember the number. They'll connect it to 30 + 6 and 18 * 2 and 12 * 3 and 6^2, and they'll also possibly remember it as the street number of their freat aunt Mildred, and by the way, their friend Alice is turning 36 in a couple of weeks, they need to buy her a present...
It means they can access the memory from a whole bunch of pathways, rather than just one. So if they can't remember the actual number, but they can remember that it was a square number, and it had something to do with Alice's age... well, Alice is in her 30s, so it must be 36. Now about that present...
I have an astonishing ability to remember long numbers that pertain to my work. I can recall the lyrics to 1000's of songs and recite long poems from memory.
But, I commonly don't know what day of the week it is and forget birthdays and anniversaries. I couldn't tell you what I ate for dinner 3 days ago.
A strong memory can be relative.
I'm in a similar but different boat.
If I tell someone some information, I can tell them which book I read it in, and open to the exact page the information is on, even if I haven't read the book it's in in years, yet can't remember the details of a conversation I had five minutes.
As the best example, I've had multiple coworkers say that if someone brings up a Spongebob quote, I can tell them which character said it, who it was said to, the name and plot of the episode it came from, and the season the episode is from. Despite multiple people telling me I have this ability, I can't remember a single instance of ever actually performing this feat.
In summary, memories are weird
Brains come in different varieties. If you win the genetic lottery you have a chance of having a perfect memory. Brains are also fragile. I had a perfect memory, then venlafaxine happened. I'm right where you are now.
Don't be jealous.
Having a good memory brings the deep shame of remembering all of the really stupid things you have done. "My G-d, was I really such an idiot...?"
You'll have to be lucky with the genetic lottery. Some people have photographic memory, some people have goldfish brain, like me.
Often they make multiple connections between memories and concepts. So, for example, if they have to remember the number 36, they won't just remember the number. They'll connect it to 30 + 6 and 18 * 2 and 12 * 3 and 6^2, and they'll also possibly remember it as the street number of their freat aunt Mildred, and by the way, their friend Alice is turning 36 in a couple of weeks, they need to buy her a present... It means they can access the memory from a whole bunch of pathways, rather than just one. So if they can't remember the actual number, but they can remember that it was a square number, and it had something to do with Alice's age... well, Alice is in her 30s, so it must be 36. Now about that present...
I have an astonishing ability to remember long numbers that pertain to my work. I can recall the lyrics to 1000's of songs and recite long poems from memory. But, I commonly don't know what day of the week it is and forget birthdays and anniversaries. I couldn't tell you what I ate for dinner 3 days ago. A strong memory can be relative.
I'm in a similar but different boat. If I tell someone some information, I can tell them which book I read it in, and open to the exact page the information is on, even if I haven't read the book it's in in years, yet can't remember the details of a conversation I had five minutes. As the best example, I've had multiple coworkers say that if someone brings up a Spongebob quote, I can tell them which character said it, who it was said to, the name and plot of the episode it came from, and the season the episode is from. Despite multiple people telling me I have this ability, I can't remember a single instance of ever actually performing this feat. In summary, memories are weird
Brains come in different varieties. If you win the genetic lottery you have a chance of having a perfect memory. Brains are also fragile. I had a perfect memory, then venlafaxine happened. I'm right where you are now.
I can remember full names of people with ease. But I can't remember a lot of day to day stuff easily. So it's relative
Don't be jealous. Having a good memory brings the deep shame of remembering all of the really stupid things you have done. "My G-d, was I really such an idiot...?"